Compensating mechanism for motor-vehicles.



J. ROGERS. COMPENSATING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

` PPLIOATION HLBD AUGjlo, 190s.

1,002,870. Patented Sept. 112,'1911 l3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

M A ai ATTEST INVENron @JW MQ Mw /fwr' Mmmm@ J. F. ROGERS' GOMPENSATING MEGHANISM POR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 10, 1908.

Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Y WMZ/grim,

-` LNVENToR.

. J. 1B.` ROGERS. GOMPENSATING MBGHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHIGLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, 1908.

d' 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' 7 im N AT TES I A INYENIOR 1 .ll/lll 51%/ A I 4 Paxeted sept. 12,1911.

12 across their inner larger ends which ribs operatively engage at their extremities with flanges on -housinginember E and bear continually on ther cam surface 9 of the cams d. Preferably the said surfaces which are described as of ea'm pattern are shown as depressed between their ends, and the neutral or idle position of the wedges is at the middle of said surface, Fig. 5. This of course places the control of thesaid wedges primarily in the power driven or so-called driving member D, D', and the turning or rotating of said member in either direction vvwill cause Sthe said wedges to travel out- ,ward and frictionally lock the segments as they are designed to d o, and the farther the said drive .member is 'turned within its limits, the more positive is the engagement of. said wedges and friction segments, the eX- v`treme limit of throw being shown in Fig. 8.

s a precaution to temporarily hold the segments L while the wedges W are getting into action I employ a spring pressed re-V tarder 14, set into the engaging surfaces of said segments and -which serve to detain or hold the segments against otherwise free The shape of wedges or keys W is seen in Figs. 4 and 5, and Fig. 5 especially shows that said vwedges have dovetailed or undercut sides adapted to work within the simifioating while `larly fashioned channels transversely inthe ends of segments L as above described, so as to afford positive mechanical control of the segments to disengage the same and not depend on springs or other means whichl are liableto `get out of order. Finally, it will be noticed that ldivision member E has two curved or segmental slots 15, and an oblong link 16 in each slot adapted to run lengthwise therein. Also that lateral pins or projections 17 in thesides of the segments extend into said links and slots and thatv said pins have limited play in said links, while the links themselves lhave the run of said slots l5. Thus I am enabled to give each set of segments alimited amount of independent play and at the same Atime control such play when it reaches a certain limit. 'F or example, suppose that both aXles are clutched for joint rotation by throwing the parts into position Fig. 8. The 'power is now on both wheels alike and the travel is in the direction of rotation. Aturn of the vehicle in either direetion will now cause a faster travel of one wheel and its shaft than the other wheel and shaft because of the larger radial travel Arequired on one side or the other. Thus thel inner or vslower wheel remainsin clutching action as in Fig-8 and drives the and its shaft causes a corresponding move- 'tarding device 14 n tral position,

machine, whereas the more rapid travel of the 'other-wheel and whereby -the cam iianges l0 withdraw the wedges W until the neutral or halfway position is reached. This unlocks the segments L from friction rim R `and permits the wheel controlled thereby to revolve faster than the drive wheel. But unless some suitable means were provided to check and hold the segments and their wedges when the neutral point is reached, the momentum and the friction retarders 111- would carry them beyond and cause interlocking ofthe parts again 'by reason of the wedges riding up on the opposite incline. In that event the wheel would no longer be free in running but would be dragging and the .tire would be slipping and wearing. The means employed by me to prevent this from occurring and which serves to hold the friction drive parts for the faster wheel at a neutralpoint comprises the links 1G and pins 17. Thus, whenone wheel drives and the other is ruiming free, the link 1G is held by the driving members at one extreme end of slot 15 byits pins 17, thereby,preventing any movementA ofthe link in its slot 15. The pin 17 on thev free or. floating members however, is now positioned in the other end of the slot in the links and said. segments are thereby positively held at neutral position.

Thus, tue driving members are utilized tocheck the free members in their independent rotation and Aprevent their wedges from riding' up the reverse incline. In other words, when one wheel is driving and the other is speeding faster, the wedges of the faster wheel are positively held at theneu# say as seen in Fig. 5.

The clutches operate similarly in running'the machine in either direction. It is also possible with 'my device to check the movement of thevehicle by retarding the applied power. This latter is commonly done by throttling the power more or less instead of applying the usual brakes to the wheels. Thus, in operation if the vehicle was being driven in a straight line, and the power was suddenly throttled, the wheels would for a moment travel faster than the power transmitting members, and both sets of wedges and friction members would immediately ride from the extreme high point of the cam to the neutral position and then upthe opposite incline into wedging and locking relation again. This would brake or retard the vehicle in its running through both wheels, if running in a direct line, but if made to loccur while on acurve only one of the wheels would be thrown into such braking action and the other would be free. y

For convenience each part or section ofv the axle is referred to in the claims also as an axle.

In a double chain drive machine, wherein a Acountershaft is used, the compensating Fil mechanism would be mounted on this shaft instead of the rear axle.

lNhat l claim is:- jt. .in vehicles, an arde in two parts, a compensating mechanism thereon comprising` a` power driven member nionnted loosely over meet thereon about said meeting ends comprising frrtion rim rioid with cach and a drive in which said rims are inclosed ng; a gear rigid therewith, and separate in entran'. means for each rim within said member, and cams adapted to canse engageme t of said friction engaging means.

5. in vehiclesl an axle in two parts arranged end to end, a friction rim rigidly on each part, a` drive member loosely mounted over both said rims and havingl a chamber for each, and friction mechanism in said clmmbers adapted to lock said rims and said drive member operatively t'ogt-ither.

ln vehicles, a sectional axle having' gio' ends and con'ipensating mechanism both sections cominiising a drive member loosely sleeved over both of said meeting ends and provided with a divided internal chaniber, a friction rim mounted on each of said ends of the axle within said clniniber, and means within said rims to matie separate locking; engagement thereof with said drive member.

.ln vehicles, an axle divided at its middle and sarete friction rims rigidly fixed on the adjacent ends thereof, in combination with a sincle drive member for said rims having a dividing wall between said rims and a drive gear thereon, a part having a cam surface within said drive men'iber and friction rims, and friction segments and wedges between said rims and cam surfaces adapted to act separately with both rims.

ln vehicles, a compensating mechanism compr-isinga chambered drive member formed in two parts and having a gear ,til ed on one part' and a. division wall be.- tvvetn said parts having a cam shaped hub on each side thereof, and friction mechanism housed in said drive member on each side of said division Tall. l

Y. A vehicle axle in two parts end to ond, a twoepart drive memberhaving a sleeve on each part engaged over a corresponding end ofsaid shaft. anda division wall between the parts of said' drive member havinrta 'am hub on each side, in combination with a friction rim on each side of said Wall having a hub locked on the corresponding axle part, and friction mechanism within each of said rims having operating engagement with the eorrespbnding` cam hub and rim.

8. A vehicle axle in two parts end to end, a compensatingv mechanism operativcl y connecting said parts :1nd comprising a driving member having two inside chambers and a wall with lateral cam shaped hubs be tween said chambers, in con'ibination with a friction rim tixed rigidly on eacl axle part in each of said chambers and friction mechanism between said rims and said cam shaped hubs consisting of friction segments and wedges between said segments.

9. A two-part vehicle axle and a two-part driving` member sleeved thereon at thc meeting,l ends thereof and a division wall centrally in said driving; member having a cam shaped hub on each sido, two friction rims within said driving; member having cach a hnb within the corresponding hub of said division wall and loci-:ed on the corresponding part of said axle` and friction segments andY locking` wedges therefor within each of said friction rims.

10. in compensatme` mechanism for ve- 'hicle wheels, a chanibm'ed driving member havii'ig;` a div sion wall centrally and a cam hnb on said wall in each chamber, said wall being `irovidcd with segmental slots oppositely as to its cent-er, in combination with a friction rim in'oach of said chambers, friction segments within said rims having opposite projections entering said slots and sliding` parts in said slots in which said opposite projections operatively engage.

ll. A two-part vehicle axle and compensating nieolianism';adapted to operatively unite said axle parts con'rlirisii'lg a chambered driving member with a central division wall having segmental slotsI commimieating with both said chambers, in combination with friction mechanism in said chambers consisting` of friction rims and segments and wedges to spread and lock said segnient-s, the said segments having projections on their inner sides and links slidable in said slots operatively engaged by the said projections.

12. In compensating` mechanism for vehicle wheels, a two part shaft and separate friction rim menibers fixed thereon, and friction devices therefor having a common drive member adapted to be interloched therewith, and means intern'iediate of said friction devices adapted to positively withhold one neutral while thc other is frictionally enraged with said drive member.

13 A compensatingcP power transmittinggA device comprising' a set of ind opcndently rotatable friction members and a common drive member therefor, and friction devices adapted to be t'hrhivn into action therewith by rotation ofthe parts in either direction from a neutral point, and means to positively limit the movements of said friction devices in respect to each other and thereby prevent clutching` action of both at opposite extremesfrom their neutral position.

14. A compensating device for transmitting power comprising independent friction rims and radially operating friction devices therefor, and a power member adapted to throw said devices intoand out of clutching positions for rotation of said parts in either direction, and means to wit-liliold the respective friction devices from joint operation at all times except when the same speed of'rotation in the saine direction is common to all said parts. v v

15. A friction power transmitting device having rotating members adapted to apply power therethrough either singly or jointly for rotation in either direction, and positive determining means adapted to operate automatically to prevent joint rotation of said members at the same speed when change of conditions require different speeds.

16. A, compensating mechanism for power driven vehicles comprising separa-te power applying members having frictional devices adapted to operate automatically, and positive self acting ine-ans to control the relations of said frictional devices by their respective v movements one to the other.

17. In vehicles, a two-part shaft and compensating drive mechanism therefor comprising separate friction rims for said shaft parts, a power member and means to frictionally engage said member with either or both of said friction rims, and positive means to prevent reinterlocking of said parts with both rims during changes involving a. reversal and release of one part.

18.111 vehicles, a power shaft in two parts, a compensating mechanism thereon comprising a power driven member mounted loosely upon said shaft about its meeting ends, and means to frictionall'y engage the parts of` said shaft with said power driven member comprising a separate friction rim for each shaft part rigid therewith and frictional means within each rim engaged with said power driven member adapted to lock said parts `together upon rotation thereof in either direction from neutral position, and connect-ing devices for the respective frictional means within cac-li rim adapted to limit independent movement from and to neutral positions only.

19. In vehicles, a two-part axle having meeting ends, a compensating mechanism thereon about said meeting ends comprising a friction rim rigid wit-h each and a drive member in which said rims are inclosed having a gear rigid therewith, and separate frici tion engaging means for each rim within I ,eiigagement of scid friction engaging means,

said member, and cams adapted to cause -within each of said and connecting means for said separa te friction engaging means adapted to limitvtheir movements in respect to each other for the purposes set fortl 20. In vehicles, an axle in two parts ai'- ranged end to end, a. friction rim fixed on each part, a drive member loosely mounted over both said rims and having a chamber for each, and separate friction mechanism in said chambers adapted to loclr said rims and said drive member operativelyv together and having a coupling connection betwen them to limit their movements in respect to each other and to said drive member.

21. In vehicles, a sectional axle having meeting ends and compensating mechanism for both sections comprising ay drive member loosely sleeved over both said meeting ends and provided with a divided internal chamber, a friction rim fixed on each of said ends of the axle within said chamber, and means rims to make separate locking engagement thereof with said drive member, and said means having coupled engagcment adapted to check the movement thereof in respect to each other for the purposes as described.

22. In vehicles, an axle divided at its middle and separate friction rims rigidly fixed on the adjacent ends thereof, in combination with a single drive member foi said rims having a dividing wall between said. rims and a drive gear thereon, a part having a cam surface within said drive member and friction l rims, and friction segments and wedges between said rims and cam surfaces adapted to act separately with both rims, and means adapted to limit the movements of the respective friction segments on opposite sides of said dividing wall in respect to one another.

23. In vehicles, a compensating mechanism comprising a chambered drive member formed in twovparts and having a gear fixed on one part and a division wallxbet-ween said parts having a cani shaped hub on each side thereof, and friction mechanism housed in said drive member on each side of said division wall and respectively provided with different connections adapting limited movements thereof one to the other.

24. A vehicle axle in two parts end to end, a two-part drive member having a sleeve on each part engaged over a corresponding end of said shaft, and a division wall between the parts of said drive member having a. cam hub on each side, in combination with a friction rim on each side of said wall having a hnbloclred on the corresponding axle part,

and friction mechanism within cach of said rims having operating engagement with the corresponding cam hnb and rim, and operating engagement with each other to limit their movement in respect to each other. 25. A Vehicle axle in two parts end to end.

5 snid chambers, in combination with a fric tion rim fixed on each axle part in each of said chmnhers and friction mechanism. between said rims and said cam shaped hubs consisting of friction segmentsl and wedges lCbetween said segments, and check connections between the respective friction mechenisin on opposite sides of said wall adapting them to play independently within predetermined limits.

26. A two-part vehicle axle and :i twopart driving member sleeved thereon at the meeting'ends thereof and division Wall centrally in said driving member having a eznn shaped hub on each slde, two friction rims within said driving member having 20 each :t hub within the corresponding hub of said division Yall and locked on the corre spending part of said axle, and friction segments and locking wedges therefor within each of said friction rims and linked connections between the respective segment-s of the separate rims to limitJ and contro] their independentplay within the rims.

In testimony whereof l sign this speciiication in the presence of two witnesses.

JUHN FRANK RGERS. l/Vitnesses:

E. M. FISI-inn, R. B. MOSER. 

